Three men sought in Bellagio robbery

Jace Radke

Monday, June 5, 2000 | 11:44 a.m.

Metro Police are looking for three men in connection with the Saturday morning robbery of the Bellagio hotel-casino's main cashier cage.

At about 6:30 a.m., two men vaulted over the counter at the cage while a third man stood guard at the front of the cashier area, Metro spokesman Officer Steve Meriwether said.

At least two of the robbers were armed with handguns, and on their way out of the casino they also robbed a smaller change booth. Police would not say how much money was stolen.

The three men left through a set of doors near the main entrance, where they had a stolen van with stolen plates parked and waiting in a valet area.

Bellagio security guards chased the robbers as they fled the building, and one of the men fired one shot at the security officers outside the casino, Meriwether said. No one was injured.

Police recovered the stolen van at the Boardwalk hotel-casino at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard South and Tropicana Avenue. The stolen license plates are from California, but detectives have yet to determine the origin of the stolen van, Meriwether said.

The robbers are described as Hispanic or dark-skinned white men between 25 and 35 years old.

One is 5 feet 10 inches tall with a muscular build and was carrying a black handgun, police said.

The second man is 6 feet tall with a large build and was not seen carrying a weapon, while the third man also had a large build and was armed with a silver handgun.

Anyone with information about these men or the robbery is asked to call Metro detectives at 229-3591 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.